Coke Zero + Mentos Car

Sustainability seems to be on a lot of people’s minds these days. One duo however, has decided to put their viewing of viral videos to good use and build a Coke Zero and Mentos-powered car.

You’ve no doubt seen videos of the impressive reaction that forms when you drop Mentos candies into diet soda. Fritz Grobe and Stephen Voltz have decided to harness that energy to actually proper a car 239 feet. These are the same guys who became famous setting off Diet Coke and Mentos fountains in another viral YouTube video. This is actually the second Coke Zero + Mentos car they’ve built.

The car contains 54 2-liter bottles of Coke Zero, 324 Mentos, and according to the video, “1 idiot.” That would be the driver. On the website, they tell people not to try this at home, but for a lot of folks, that’s an invitation to attempt such a feat. I guess we’ll have to wait for MythBusters to tackle this, as long as they aren’t shooting cannonballs through houses.

A series of tubes (not a dump truck!) connects the candies to the bottles of Coke Zero. The Mentos then drop into the bottles, which sets off the reaction between the two, propelling the car forward.

It’s certainly impressive, even if the fuel economy leaves a lot to be desired. It would probably be much cheaper to continue using gasoline for your daily commute. On the other hand, this is the car to have if you get thirsty on the road.